A Beautiful Mess
by porterofdreams
Summary: When Sakura wakes up in Sasuke's bed, not remembering why, she resolves to just forget about it. But that turns out to be the hardest thing she's ever tried to do. SasuSaku. Rating may go up.


"True love comes in quietly, without banners or flashing lights. She is your sanity in a world full of madness. True love is not how grand you are or how simple you are, but it's who you are when you're with her…and she loves you not in spite of it but _because_ of it. She is the one who stands with you when the rest of the world falls down…"

—_Thomas Wilde Fontain_

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_**Prologue**_

Excitement was visible in the air. It was snowing. And it had not snowed in Konoha for years. The old men and women reminisced, the children played, and everyone in between watched in wonder as the tiny white flakes floated down from the pale grey sky.

As night fell, the young adults grew more excited. The bars filled with the recently turn-of-aged and bartenders gladly served them all the sake they could at a reasonable price. To the boys, girls were more likely to give in because of the romantic snowfall. They scanned each crowd with hungry eyes, drinking alcohol to make them braver.

In one crowded bar, Sakura was sitting with Naruto, talking about their last mission. Naruto was so happy about their success, he had ordered them both the most expensive kind of sake. Sakura merely sipped hers; Naruto gulped it down as if he was parched.

"Seriously, Sakura-chan," he was saying rather loudly. "If things keep going like this, I'll be Hokage in no time!"

"Sure," Sakura agreed. She hated bars and was anxious to get out. But Naruto was so happy and she didn't want to spoil that.

The blond went on and on about becoming Hokage—and it was nothing Sakura hadn't heard before—so she looked around while nodding occasionally. Men her age were standing around at the door and the bathroom, in prime position for drunken girls to fall into their grasp. She frowned at them and continued to look around the large, crowded room. All the young women were seated at tables with their friends. Only a few had guys with them. Sakura realized that the girls were looking at the guys as much as the guys were looking at the girls. Their chatter created a constant but not annoying din that filled Sakura's ears.

When Naruto finished his drink, he frowned.

"What's the matter?" Sakura asked him. "You can just get another one."

Naruto grinned sheepishly. "Uh, actually, Sakura-chan… I don't have any more money."

"Oh," Sakura deadpanned. "Finish mine, then. I shouldn't drink too much anyway. I have work tomorrow."

Naruto happily obliged. "Thanks, Sakura-chan!"

Just after he took a gulp of her sake, the crowd suddenly got quiet. Both Sakura and Naruto looked towards the door, where everyone else was watching. The men at the door backed away to let someone in. Half of them looked frightened, and people quietly laughed, but then everyone saw who was striding in and held their breaths.

Covered with snow, Uchiha Sasuke walked to the bar and ordered something. While waiting for his drink, he turned around, leaned against the bar, and glared at everyone who was staring at him. They, taking the hint, turned back to their friends and started talking again. An awkward quietness settled between Sakura and Naruto.

Two years earlier, Sasuke had come back to village, though not of his own will. Several ANBU had discovered his plan to destroy Konoha and set out to capture and stop him and his new team. Sasuke had recently been released from prison and was now on probation. Apparently, his probation did not include alcoholic beverages, because the bartender gave him the same drink Naruto had ordered.

This was the first time Naruto and Sakura had seen him outside the Hokage's office or his prison cell. They both were not used to it and neither knew what to say. Sakura grabbed her drink back and finished it at once. Naruto stared at her and then laughed.

He called out to Sasuke. "Hey, Teme! Get over here!"

Sasuke glared at him, then, apparently realizing he had no choice because his chakra was drained once a week and Naruto would probably make a scene if he didn't, he slowly made his way to the table. Sakura moved her chair closer to Naruto in an attempt to make room for Sasuke. There wasn't enough room, however, and she ended up sitting close—too close—to him.

"Hn," was all he said.

Since Sasuke had come back, albeit as a prisoner, Naruto had made it his mission to become friends with Sasuke again. He'd even rented a house with three bedrooms so they could all live together. All he had to do was get permission from the Hokage, and Sasuke would be able to move in. Sakura had been wary, of course, but she decided to go along with it. She was glad to have Sasuke back, at least. Her things had already been moved in.

"So, Sasuke-teme," Naruto began, "where have you been living these past few days?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. Naruto had never been one for subtleties.

Sasuke stared at him. "An apartment," he deadpanned. Then he added, "Dobe."

Sakura would have smiled if she wasn't so nervous. They were already getting along like always.

"Well, Sakura and me have an extra room if you want company," Naruto suggested. "All you have to do is say okay."

Sasuke turned his attention to the wall, as if he was thinking about his options, and Sakura relaxed. No fights yet. That was a good sign.

"Sakura and I," she corrected Naruto, who grimaced. Then he sat back in his chair and rubbed his stomach.

"Ah, Sakura-chan," he whined. "I'm getting hungry. And thirsty."

She rested her hand on her cheek and rolled her eyes again. "Then you should have brought more money, Naruto-kun."

Sasuke's eyes flashed to Sakura. She could sense that he was watching her and her cheeks turned bright red. After a few seconds, he went back to watching the wall.

Naruto stood up and groaned. "Come on, Sakura-chan. Please lend me some money. I'll pay you back when we get to the house."

"Fine," she relented, knowing that he would keep badgering her until she gave in anyway.

He threw his arms up in victory. "Yay, Sakura-chan!"

"Quiet!" she hissed. People were starting to stare at them.

As soon as she stood up, Sasuke did, too. Both she and Naruto looked at him questioningly.

"Okay," he said monotonously. Then he walked away.

Both stared at his back. Then they looked at each other, Naruto grinning and Sakura looking stunned.

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_**Part One**_

Sakura woke up with warm feet. Which was weird, because she always had cold feet, ever since she was a child. It wasn't anything important, but still. She always had to wear socks during the night, but she usually kicked them off at some point. She'd never woken up with warm feet in her life.

Until now.

When she realized this, she also noticed that she wasn't in her bed. Her head wasn't resting on a 400-count white cotton pillowcase like it usually was. Instead, the pillow was dark blue. Interesting.

She opened her eyes and saw clothes. Everywhere. No, this definitely wasn't her room. Hers was always tidy. This room looked like it hadn't been cleaned in weeks. There was dust on the empty bookcase. She made a point to clean before she left. Inwardly, she rolled her eyes at herself. Seriously. She woke up in a stranger's bed, with warm feet and she was going to _clean_? She needed to get a life.

As she rolled over to get up, she noticed that _she wasn't wearing any clothes_. Her eyes widened, her brain working frantically to remember why. She shifted her leg and winced. Her thighs were sore, like she'd been running for a long time. And her, well,_ insides_, were sore, too.

_Oh, Kama-sama. What have I done?_

She got out of the bed, still wincing, and pulled the sheet around her so she could find her clothes without walking in on someone while naked. As she did so, she noticed that there was another occupant, who was also naked, in the bed.

He was turned away from her, on his side, but she could tell who he was.

He had spiky black hair. She'd know who he was in a heartbeat.

"Sasuke-kun?" she whispered. Then she shut her eyes and willed herself to wake up, because, surely, this was a dream. No, a nightmare. A horrible, horrible nightmare that was going to haunt her for the rest of her life.

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Sasuke was cold. He loathed the cold. It _was annoying_. He rolled over without opening his eyes to find his sheet, but he heard a gasp before he could reach for it.

What was someone doing in his room? That was a huge mistake on their part, for they were about to die for it. Merely a second after he heard the tiny sound—feminine, for Kami-sama's sake—his eyes flashed open. The Sharingan was activated despite his low chakra levels. He focused on the terrified girl in his room. Who was covered in his blanket. And apparently naked under it. He deactivated the Sharingan and looked around.

He was naked, too.

He looked back at the girl—Sakura, he knew now—and said one word.

"Shit."

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The bar was filled with people. So full that one had to shout to be heard. Sakura was getting a headache because of all the yelling and whatnot. How she hated bars. But Naruto, for some reason, loved them. He liked being around all the people and he loved the atmosphere. He certainly loved getting drunk, too. She scanned the crowd and found him at the bar, sitting next to Sasuke.

She hesitated. Being around Sasuke was awkward. Naruto had given up living in the house because Sakura made him clean and, as he put it, he was a bachelor and needed his own place. So after only a week, Sasuke and Sakura were housemates. He kept to himself of course, but there was only one bathroom. He had walked in there once while she had been taking a shower. Thank Kami-sama that she had invested in opaque shower curtains. They'd been living in awkwardness for several months now. Sakura was surprised that Sasuke hadn't left yet.

Suddenly, Naruto turned around and motioned for her to sit next to them. The only open seat was next to Sasuke. Of course.

"Sakura-chan!" he shouted. She barely heard him.

Sasuke turned around and watched her approach. She swallowed her nervousness and sat down. The bartender came immediately with her usual, a virgin apple daiquiri. Naruto rolled his eyes and wondered aloud if she had ever gotten drunk.

"I have better things to do. You know that," she said calmly.

"Right," Naruto half-shouted. He leaned around Sasuke, who frowned, to talk to her. "I dare you to get drunk tonight, Sakura-chan. You have to experience it!"

Sasuke spoke for the first time. "Idiot."

"Come on, Teme! You've probably never gotten drunk, either! I dare you to drink an entire bottle of sake! Dattebayo!"

Both Sakura and Sasuke rolled their eyes.

"I don't have enough money, Naruto-baka," she explained. "And I have to work tomorrow."

Naruto rolled his eyes this time. "You always work. Have some fun!"

She hesitated. Naruto held out his drink for her. Sasuke eyed her warily.

Taking a breath, she grabbed the drink. Then she lifted it to her lips, and downed it in one big gulp.

"Yeah! Go Sakura-chan!" Naruto cheered. "Now I have to figure out how to get more…"

Sasuke watched Sakura for a moment. Her cheeks had flushed in embarrassment and her eyes were already starting to shine. She obviously had never had that much alcohol before.

She could feel him watching her. She wanted to sink into the floor and disappear. The alcohol was making her confident, and she decided that she didn't care anymore. She just wanted to have fun.

Naruto suddenly gave a shout. "I've got it!"

Both looked at him.

"I know a way we can get free sake!" he said excitedly. "But we have to go to another bar. There's one around the corner, I think."

He hopped off his stool and disappeared into the crowd. Sakura happily followed him, then realizing that Sasuke wasn't coming, she turned around.

"Come on, Sasuke-kun," she said. He frowned and turned up his nose. She giggled. "Sasuke-kun, you're such a grumpy person."

She turned and made her way into the crowd. Naruto was waiting for her outside, nearly falling over in his excitement. Sakura giggled at him and stumbled. Before she could fall, though, an arm grabbed her and righted her.

"Hn. Be careful."

Startled, Sakura looked at Sasuke. She grinned unabashedly. "Glad you came!"

"Whatever."

Naruto laughed and led the way to the other bar. It was almost as packed as the last one, but it wasn't quite as loud. Naruto immediately made a beeline for the bartender. But instead of talking to him, he stood up on a stool and called for everyone's attention. Sasuke nearly left, but what Naruto said stopped him in his tracks.

"May I have everyone's attention?" he shouted. "I have a very happy announcement to make!"

Everyone stopped talking and looked at the blond idiot.

"My two dear best friends, Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke have just gotten…" Here he paused for dramatic effect. "Engaged!"

Sakura's mouth dropped open and Sasuke glared, nearly burning a hole in Naruto's forehead. Everyone turned to stare at them, then they burst into cheers.

"Congrats, Sakura-san!" a woman near them said happily. "You're not going to be a lonely spinster after all!"

Sakura grimaced. She was obviously trying to smile. Sasuke wished he could attack Naruto without going back to jail.

"I propose a toast!" Naruto shouted, bringing everyone's attention back to him. "Those two are going to need it!"

"Drinks all around!" a man yelled. Everyone cheered again—they were getting free alcohol, so why not cheer?

Naruto grinned. His plan was working.

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"You!" Sakura exclaimed, pointing her finger. "You…you violated me!"

Sasuke, losing his calm demeanor for a few seconds, scrambled to find something to cover himself with.

"I can't believe this!" she ranted. "I lost my virginity and I don't even remember it! And my head hurts like hell! And it's all—your—fault!"

He glared at her. "I didn't exactly do this by myself, Sa-ku-ra-chan," he hissed. He found some shorts and pulled them on.

"Well," she huffed. "I'm going to forget this ever happened."

He looked back at her and took in her messy hair, swollen lips, and bright eyes. He had to agree with her. If he didn't forget that this had happened, he'd probably set out to make it happen again. He couldn't remember exactly what had gone on, but he knew he had enjoyed it. Or, at least, his body had. Because Sakura was making him…well, react. He was glad Sakura was preoccupied with pacing back and forth, muttering to herself.

She stopped and looked back at him. "I have to…uh…I have to go now."

Then she sprinted out of his room, taking his sheet with her.

"Tch."

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Sasuke found himself being pulled forward, but he couldn't exactly resist. He'd probably be arrested. Someone put a drink in his hand and encouraged him to drink it. They wouldn't leave him alone, so he swallowed it all, not paying attention to its taste. He needed to get away. Naruto was going to pay for this.

He spotted Sakura about ten feet away. Women who were congratulating her and asking about the supposed wedding plans surrounded her. She looked nervous. He forced his way over and glared at the women, who immediately scattered. Sakura sighed in relief.

"Thanks, Sasuke-kun," she said. She gulped down some of the sake in her hand without hesitating.

"Hn," he replied. She giggled.

"Kiss her!" someone shouted. Sakura stopped giggling at once. Sasuke frowned.

"Yeah! Kiss your fiancée!" another person agreed.

"Uh, Sasuke-kun," Sakura whispered. "They're not going to leave us alone."

Sasuke hissed in aggravation. Naruto was across the room, downing an entire bottle of sake, so he was no help. He really was going to pay.

Now almost everyone had joined in. "Kiss her! Kiss her!"

"Tch," Sasuke grunted. Then he grabbed Sakura's arm, spun her around, and leaned forward to kiss her.

Stunned, she didn't stop him. He pressed his mouth against hers, surprised at how pleasant it felt. He had never kissed someone before. She slowly started to respond, moving her lips in a rhythm that electrocuted his senses. He pressed himself closer to her, not exactly knowing what he was doing, but somehow doing the right thing. She moaned, driving him over the edge. He tore his lips from hers, gasping for breath. Hers eyes were still closed, so he tapped her nose and smirked.

"Wow," she breathed. "Where'd you learn to do that?"

"Nice," a familiar voice said. Naruto was at their side, grinning.

"Where's the ring?" someone shouted. Sakura gulped. No man would propose without a ring, would he? Naruto's plan was about to be exposed. And she would be the one getting in trouble, she knew it. So she drained the rest of her drink and hoped Sasuke kept a ring with him wherever he went.

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As Sakura turned the shower on, she realized that there was a ring on her left third finger. It was a modestly sized diamond, surrounded by tiny rubies on a gold band. She admired it for a second, before realizing what it represented. She ripped it off her finger and nearly threw it on the counter.

She inhaled deeply, willing herself to calm down and forget what had happened that morning. Seeing Sasuke naked was probably the highlight of her life. But he had no feelings for her. At least, not in the romantic sense, anyway. So it would be better for her if she forgot this had ever happened. Yes, that would be the right thing to do.

As soon as she stepped out from behind the shower curtain, the bathroom door slid open and Sasuke walked in. Shrieking, she grabbed the towel from the counter and covered herself, but Sasuke had already seen her naked body…again. Said Uchiha was turning slightly red and averting his eyes, not even bothering to leave.

Because they had lived together for these few months, incidents like these were bound to happen. And it had happened before. So Sakura couldn't blame Sasuke that much. She exited the bathroom in a huff. But not before Sasuke noticed the ring still on her finger.

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Once again, everyone in the crowd was chanting, this time about wanting to see a ring. Sasuke glared to no avail. Sakura glanced around the room frantically, searching for Naruto. Unfortunately, he was nowhere to be seen. She moved her eyes to Sasuke, who was frowning in concentration.

"Sasuke-kun?" she whispered.

"Show us a ring!"

He grimaced suddenly, then yanked at something around his neck. "Damn it," he hissed.

Then he grabbed Sakura's left hand and shoved his mother's ring on her third finger. The crowd gasped, then cheered again. He looked down at Sakura, who was staring at the ring with a surprised, yet wonderfully happy expression. He couldn't take it—he needed to kiss her again. The alcohol in his system urged him forward. As soon as she looked up at him in amazement, he slammed his lips against hers.

She gasped, her sweet breath taking over his senses. He pressed as close as he could to her, molding her to his body. The crowd went wild. Sasuke opened his eyes long enough to glare at them, then he closed them and continued to ravage Sakura's senses. She seemed to be enjoying the kiss as much as he was. She moaned prettily, innocently, captivatingly. He grunted and moved his hands to her neck, arching it for a better angle. Her hands clutched at his shirt, urging him closer.

Breaking the kiss so they could breathe, he moved his lips to her throat, biting softly and then massaging the area with his tongue. She gasped, her heart rate increasing each second.

Suddenly, the crowd went quiet. Sasuke and Sakura broke apart, gasping for air. They stared at each other, Sasuke with an intense, determined expression, Sakura with a slightly dazed and equally determined one. The crowd stepped out of their way as Sasuke picked Sakura up, threw her on his shoulders, and made his way out the door.

Once outside, he set her down and kissed her again—this one short and passionate. She grinned at him and blushed. The alcohol she'd consumed made everything spin. Kissing him only made everything spin faster.

-

Sakura left for work before Sasuke was down in the bathroom. (He'd been brushing his teeth when he heard the door slam.) Staring blankly, listening for movement outside the window, he heard her muttering to herself. He couldn't understand what she was muttering about, but he had a feeling it was about him, and that it wasn't pleasant. He left the bathroom in search for food. He was starving.

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_AN: Thanks so much for reading my first story! I hope you like it. _

_IMPORTANT NOTICE: This may turn into an M-rated story. I don't plan on it, but it's possible. I will warn those of you who do not want to damage your minds beforehand, so don't worry. _

_Thanks again for reading! I'll try to update as soon as possible._


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